Olympic hockey semifinals: Team USA dominates Sweden, will play for gold against Canada

MILAN — The U. S. women’s hockey team steamrolled past Sweden 5-0 in Monday’s semifinal, producing a clinical performance on both ends of the ice and punching a ticket to the Olympic gold-medal game against Canada on Thursday at 1: 10 p. m. ET. Five different American players scored and goaltender Aerin Frankel posted her fifth consecutive shutout as the Americans extended a tournament-long defensive iron curtain.

U. S. offensive clinic and defensive mastery

It didn’t take long for the U. S. to set the tone. Cayla Barnes opened the scoring early in the first period with a wrist shot from above the right faceoff circle, and the Americans pulled away in the second period with a four-goal burst that demolished Swedish resistance. Taylor Heise’s backhand finish, Abbey Murphy’s top-shelf snipe, a quick strike from Laila Edwards and Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Hayley Scamurra’s late second-period goal provided a sudden and decisive margin.

Frankel was flawless between the pipes, recording another shutout and cementing a historic run that includes multiple clean sheets in a single tournament. The U. S. has outscored opponents 31-1 at these Games and has not allowed a goal in 16 consecutive periods. Frankel credited the defensive structure that has made her job manageable: "The team is playing so well defensively they are making my job easy by making the plays in front of me so predictable so I can do my job, " she said.

Coach and players emphasized the collective mindset and daily attention to roles as the core of the team’s success. "We put on a show every time we’re out there because we love to play hockey, " Taylor Heise said. Kendall Coyne Schofield added that the locker room culture—where players embrace whatever role is needed—has been a key ingredient in the team’s march toward gold: "I think it's ultimately how enjoyable it is to be in that locker room and how everyone is willing to do whatever it takes for this team, no matter what the role is. "

Sweden's Cinderella run meets reality

Sweden arrived in Milan as one of the tournament’s surprise success stories, winning its first four group games by comfortable margins and then eliminating a higher-ranked opponent in the quarterfinals. The team viewed its placement in the lower group as motivation and answered with dominant play that earned them a spot in the medal round.

But facing the American juggernaut proved a step too far. Sweden managed its first shot on goal only 11 minutes into the semifinal, and while the visiting side showed flashes and competitive moments, it was unable to generate sustained pressure or convert on the few chances that did develop. Swedish coach Ulf Lundberg summed up the mismatch bluntly: "Today, maybe we needed a plexiglass in front of our net to stay in the game. "

Sweden will regroup for the bronze-medal game, where the team aims to cap a memorable tournament with the program’s first Olympic women’s hockey medal since 2006. Players expressed motivation and belief heading into the short turnaround: "We are really pumped up for the bronze medal game, " said forward Hanna Olsson.

What comes next: a heavyweight gold-medal showdown

The U. S. will face Canada in the title game on Thursday at 1: 10 p. m. ET, setting up a classic North American rivalry for Olympic gold. Canada, the reigning Olympic champion, fell to the Americans 5-0 in group play without its injured captain and enters the finale with its own pedigree and hunger for redemption. The U. S. will look to maintain its relentless forecheck, tight defensive coverage and goaltending prowess, while Canada will search for answers to crack a defense that has been nearly impenetrable.

For Team USA, the path to gold has been defined by balance: stifling defense, opportunistic scoring from all lines and a locker-room cohesion players describe as singular. If the semifinal was any indication, the Americans will bring both confidence and a clear game plan to Milan’s gold-medal stage.